Wednesdays Aren’t For Knitting

The title of this post makes me sad, mostly because it’s not just Wednesdays that aren’t for knitting right now . . . it’s every day. You see, I am dealing with a significant flare up of carpal tunnel in both hands/wrists.

I can’t pinpoint the problem to one thing exactly but I probably overdid it with the wedding sweater (there was a weekend in mid July where I literally did nothing but knit for about 6 hours a day for 3 days in a row) and my hands were pretty sore. No wrist pain or numbness, though. After I finished the sweater, I concentrated on the socks. I cut it pretty close on the finish (Thursday for a Saturday wedding) but my hands felt fine. While we were in Iceland I cast on for a Musselburgh Hat with Gauge Dye Works Solar System yarn. I knit off and on during our sightseeing and then knit a lot on the plane trip back to the USA. I also hit the Nintendo Switch pretty hard when we got back, spending time getting caught up on Animal Crossings.

Whatever the cause, I seem to have overdone it and I’ve had significant pain, swelling, numbness and tingling for the last few weeks. I’m completely off Animal Crossings and I think going forward I’m going to have to be completely off knitting, too. Monday night I picked up the hat and knit just a few rounds, figuring it would be okay since I hadn’t knit at all in 8 days. And then I woke up in the night and my right wrist felt like it was on fire.

I’ve tried magnets and braces, I’m taking ibuprofen and doing recommended exercises, but this isn’t going away readily. So. No knitting for me. And before you ask, yes, I do have a doctor’s appointment, but it’s 3 weeks away.

Without my standard hobbies I’m a little bit lost, and spending way too much time on TikTok, too. I miss knitting very very much but it would appear this is to be a time of no knitting for me . . . at least for a bit.

Sob.

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This Post Has 23 Comments

  1. This post makes me so sad. I am sad you can’t knit and even sadder that you are in so much pain. And here I am complaining that I don’t feel like knitting. Thank you for putting things in perspective for me.

    Sending you healing wishes and so much love! XO

  2. Ow! I’m sorry you’re suffering and things that bring joy and relaxation are off limits. Hope you are better soon.

  3. I’m so sorry, Carole. As you know, I HATE it when I can’t do what I want to. HATE it. So I get it . . . You’re wise to hold off on the knitting and the gaming while you heal, but I know how hard than can be. I’m sending good, healing juju your way, and hope that your doctor appointment brings some relief. XO

  4. Sadly I had to give up knitting a few years ago too, due to extreme tendonitis in both elbows (it got so bad at one point that I was going to PT 2x a week for MONTHS). I was an avid sock knitter, and I think the way I held my needles (too tightly) and used my right forefinger to keep tension on the yarn, over years and years, was my ultimate undoing. A year ago, after more than 12 months of NO KNITTING AT ALL I picked up a small project, and at first I was fine. But in the long run, before the project was completed, I was absolutely miserable. Now I live vicariously thru knitting blogs. Be good to yourself and, in the waiting, remember it’s for your own good. Good luck.

  5. Ugh – so sorry to read this. I have been having a bit of pain in my thumb bed and I am pretty sure it is from sock knitting, the way I use my left thumb to steady the tiny needles. I am trying to balance all the knitting with other fiber crafting like machine stitching and embroidery. Sending you good thoughts for pain relief.

  7. I’m so sorry to read this! Not knitting is bad enough, but no Switch makes it even worse. I had carpal tunnel a few years back and a long wait for a doctor’s appointment, so I used ice, braces, and also Aspercreme. It’s on OTC cream that contains trolamine salicylate (related to aspirin) and will relieve inflammation. I used it 3x/day for two weeks and my carpal tunnel was relieved. Sending all the good juju!

  8. Carole, I am so sorry to hear this, but I totally empathize. I keep trying to knit, but I suffer every time I do. I will persist this winter (what knitter can stay away from the wool when it’s cold?), but I am sure it will be slow going. I have found lots of relief with inflammation (shoulders/knees) with Voltaren gel. It’s OTC, but I used to buy it from Canada before it was approved in the US. I still buy the extra strength from Canada when I can find it because it is not approved OTC in the states. Anyway, it is an NSAID similar to ibuprofen, but topical. Read the directions before you use it. Just a suggestion that it might be a good adjunct to ice, which is always my first stop. Try to make lemonade out of lemons; you still have reading! Maybe that will make the time pass faster. I am reading The Guide by Peter Heller and really enjoying it. Sending best wishes for quickly diminishing inflammation!

  9. I (literally) feel your pain! I love to knit and, during the lockdown months, spent much time doing so. But! Thumb pain struck, and an elastic mitt and topical applications did not help, so I had to stop knitting – or cutting or slicing or taking the tops off jars. The thumb gradually got better. If I knit too long, it hurts again, but I do it anyway – I’m addicted!

  10. oh Carole, I’m sorry. Life without knitting sucks (I still remember the six weeks I didn’t knit when I had “knitter’s elbow” a few years back) – but hopefully staying 100% away from the activities that lead to pain will allow that inflammation to subside more quickly. and hey, books & reading, walks, enjoying the new season? … there’s still lots to keep you occupied!

  12. I’m so sorry you’re in pain. It’s tough when you can’t rely on your stress busters, isn’t it?

    I’m going to recommend a book I haven’t read, which I rarely do, but it has so many great reviews by knitting mavens that I respect, I feel comfortable doing so.

    https://carson-demers.squarespace.com/knitting-comfortably

    I hope your hands and wrists heal quickly with rest and tender loving care.

  14. So sorry to hear this. I’m wondering if you have considered acupuncture. I don’t get it for wrists but I get it for lower back/spine issues and find it somewhat miraculous.

  18. This makes me so sad — I don’t know how I’d keep my sanity if I couldn’t knit! I hope the issue resolves quickly. In the meantime, can you plot some projects for the future or organize some stash? In other words, can you do something knitting-adjacent? That is what I have done in the past when I’ve been in a situation where I can’t knit (like being stuck at the office with nothing to do).

  19. Time is the only thing that helps when I have a repetitive injury. Allow the wrists to heal but as soon as you can strengthen them so you have a way to keep the pain from returning. Sadly, this all takes time. A good PT person helped me through, but rest was the best medicine. Take care!

  20. Waaaaaaaaaaahhhhh! I’m so sorry to see this! I had a thumb-thing that prevented me from knitting a while back and it made me wiggy! Fingers crossed with some time this thing sorts itself out. xo

  21. Rest and dream about knitting. I’m so sorry you’re in pain.

    I overdid it this summer, knitting for my book. I had to stop knitting for a while, and then knit in 5 minute increments. With a timer, or I’d cheat. Typing also became a problem, so I really had to stop doing things for a bit! I hope you feel better soon.

  23. My first significant carpal tunnel flare up was during my first pregnancy! My job involved significant amounts of typing and other small, repetitive hand movement — and I was trying to knit a sweater for my baby! The only relief was a certain posture in bed — on my “good” side with my painful arm stretched out in a particular way along my side. And just as the doc said, it improved quite a bit after delivery, but I dealt with it on and off for years after that. I remember my hand tingling & going numb just trying to apply mascara in the morning!

    One thing that helped me quite a bit was realizing that the brace was a support and not a tourniquet, and that it was most useful at night. I used to think that my wrist had to be immobilized, but really, it was just to keep my wrist from curling in — especially while sleeping, when our natural tendency is to curl up in the fetal position. I’m always very conscious when I’m falling asleep about keeping my hand & wrist flat or outstretched. It still flares up every once in a while — and marathon knitting is definitely a trigger!

    I hope you find some relief soon, Carole! I’m so sorry that you can’t knit.

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